Iran used Chinese-sourced satellite images to target US bases, intelligence reveals - report

Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a US base in Jordan from Chinese sources before a July missile attack that killed three American soldiers, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing US officials. Washington has drawn a direct line between the Chinese-sourced imagery and the strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, but did not confirm direct Chinese government involvement. The disclosure comes weeks before a planned September 24 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Iran obtained high-resolution satellite imagery of a US base in Jordan from Chinese sources before launching the missile attack that killed three American soldiers in July, according to a Friday report by The Wall Street Journal, which cited US officials familiar with the matter. The WSJ reported that Washington has drawn a direct line between the Chinese-sourced imagery and the July 17 strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, but did not confirm direct involvement from the Chinese government. The officials told the WSJ that Iran acquired the images both ahead of and following the assault, though they would not name the Chinese firms involved and stopped short of accusing Beijing's government of direct involvement. According to the WSJ report, Iranian ballistic missiles slammed into a housing area at the base in northeastern Jordan where US troops were sleeping, killing three soldiers and wounding four others who were evacuated for treatment. The strike was one of three missile attacks on the base within a 24-hour span and represented the first American combat deaths since an April ceasefire. The WSJ noted that within days of the attack, Iran published high-resolution images documenting damage across three sections of the base, visuals more detailed than the lower-resolution commercial satellite imagery WSJ's own analysis had reviewed, which showed harm to more than 20 structures. The disclosure comes weeks before a planned September 24 meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Citing officials, the paper said senior US figures had raised the imagery findings directly with Chinese counterparts, who demanded evidence and rejected the allegations. US officials told the WSJ that Beijing has denied that Chinese companies supply such material to Iran. The Trump administration already sanctioned three Chinese companies in May, MizarVision, Earth Eye, and Chang Guang, over allegations that they provided or published satellite imagery usable by Iran against US forces.